Jensen opened his eyes, surprised to find that he wasn't waking up in hell. Instead, he was on a hospital bed.

I'm still alive.

He told himself, taking in his surroundings. He didn't recognize the layout of the room, but he could tell that it was an infirmary.

Jensen barely succeeded in pushing himself up and then noticed the IV on his wrist. He had already forgotten when the last time he got an IV was.

This is ridiculous.

He thought, suddenly realizing that he must have looked incredibly distressed.

He tried to wiggle his hands and toes. His body functions seemed undamaged, perhaps the problem was his organs? Jensen lied back down, leaning against the pillow. A normal person who had just woken up from a coma would probably be very confused, but he remembered everything that happened before he passed out.

It would take more than his entire life to forget that scavenger who called himself a shepherd. His looks, his words, and his unexplainable actions. His accusations were like a burning piece of iron, branding deep into Jensen's heart.

In reality, Jensen didn't even understand what imposter was supposed to mean. However, he felt like those words had completely shredded his beliefs. Ever since he started serving, being the ultimate goal of all Chasers, his military achievements, the pride he had accumulated, everything vanished in a puff of smoke when he was knocked away along with his shells on the hill.

I knew that surviving's a bad idea.

Jensen thought negatively. As if he had survived, but his will and beliefs did not.

He suddenly felt like he was betrayed, like he was sold out by his most trusted friend. He trusted his shells. Although they weren't the Shell Wielding equipment he had originally. In any case, they had faced countless enemies and fought dozens of battles together. Those shells had never failed him, until today.

Until Jensen found out that the shells he wields can be easily stolen by others, and they don't even have to be a Wielder. He didn't understand how the scavenger did it, but this entire thing no longer mattered to him. He had lost and been defeated thoroughly. He didn't lose against an enemy. He lost because he was careless.

If I can't even believe in the simplest thing, what else is left for me?

Jensen asked himself.

If my weapon in hand betrays me, then what do I still fight for?

He stared at the ceiling of the infirmary, only to realize how hypocritical his own existence was and how opinionated he had been. Perhaps the scavenger was correct. He had gone through the S.D.A's experiment, so now he's no longer human, nor did he belong to the Star Creature. He was something in between the two.

An imposter.

Jensen mumbled. A while ago he was still persistent on finding out where the Star Creatures were going. As if he could understand and read them, find the answers according to the traces and clues he had found.

He remembered the stranger and the Star Creature beside him. If what he claimed was true, it would mean that not only could he sense them, he could also communicate with them. In comparison, what Jensen could do was practically insignificant.

What a joke.

Jensen thought. The most ironic part was when he thought he was the arbitration between Star Creatures and humans, at the same time bathing in their blood and flesh without turning a hair.

The sound of the automatic door opening came from the other side of the room. Jensen turned towards it, but his sight was blocked by a screen next to the bed. Soon after, a strange man with glasses pushed open the screen, walking to the side of the bed. "Ah, Major. I see that you're awake." He smiled at Jensen. "I'm the medic of the Wall of Dawn, Cole."

I'm still here apparently.

Jensen lifted his head slightly. "How long have I been asleep?" He asked.

"It's the third day, sir," The medic stated. "Just to be safe, I'd suggest laying for a few more days." He walked to the other side of the room, then came back with a bag. "I'll change the IV bag for you."

Three days?

Jensen stared at the ceiling.

Shit. Belden Base's probably...

"Also, sir." Cole opened up again. "If you're fine with it, I'm afraid there's someone that's very eager to see you."

"...Who?" Jensen's heart skipped a beat. He was not exactly ready to face others' concern, especially from his superior. However, he took a quick thought and quickly changed his tune. "Whatever, just send him over."

The medic of the Wall of Dawn was taken back a little, then quickly nodded. "Okay, I'll let him know to come over now."

Once Cole had left, the room fell silent again. This seemed to be a ward that only had one single bed, but maybe they had removed the other ones.

Anyhow, this moment of tranquility did not last long.

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Another set of hurried footsteps came from near the door all the way to the bed. Then, Sahil's face popped up from behind the screen. "Jensen Cavil. Look at what you've done to yourself." He shook his head and spoke.

"How come I'm not even a little surprised?" Jensen looked at the commander's face, but then realized that he was speechless. He thought he would have been more furious, or at least he had the right to be.

Sahil pulled a chair from the room, then sat himself down. He radiated off deliberation and power. The Belden Base was different from the Wall of Dawn. They are under different S.D.A systems, and Sahil was the highest person in charge of the Base.

Compared to Jotuun Branson, Sahil's whole deportment was more like a strategist who wheels and deals. He was fairly good at deploying and scheming the battle line. He was a provident military advisor, not a veteran that had been on expeditions.

"What did I tell you?" Sahil leaned back on the chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"We took down three Star Creatures." Jensen retorted.

"If you're dead, even if it's thirty it would still mean nothing."

"I'm still alive."

"You might've died."

"Those Chasers might've died. I saved them."

"How many times have I told you, Jensen?" Sahil asked with a frown. "You're not a Border Chaser, neither do you have the right or necessity to interfere with their matters." He emphasized on every word. "Besides, they should be aware of the fact that they need to sacrifice themselves as a Chaser."

"How could you say that?" Jensen's eyes widened. "Aren't those Chasers Sheerians too? Isn't it our responsibility to protect our compatriots?"

"Watch your tone, soldier!" Sahil warned in a deep voice. "You don't get to decide on this matter." He reprimanded. "Someone who can't even protect themself don't have the right to meddle with others'."

Jensen opened his mouth, trying to say something but quickly swallowed it back. He turned away, biting down hard on his lip. The commander's words left him with no ground to retort. He was right, he had been deluding himself.

"Do you know about the scavengers?" Jensen asked after a while. His tone was much calmer.

Sahil was silent for a second, then he slowly started. "Around a decade ago, S.D.A received a report about civil Shell Wielders."

"Civil Shell Wielders?"

"Shell Wielders that weren't trained by authorities or the S.D.A, but somehow they could control the shells," Sahil answered. "At first, we thought they were just copycats, forging the equipment that was required to wield shells."

"As far as I know, that's illegal."

Sahil nodded.

"The Star Creatures are the S.D.A’s property, per se. Possessing any Star Creature or their organs without permission is considered to be violating the international treaty signed by the S.D.A and the Citadel Union of Authorities." He explained. "But of course, you know that we can't manage every single corner."

"The Death Rim."

"Correct."

"Similar cases come up every year. It's an unending flow, really. But the scavengers or smugglers that made those Shelling Bubbles were normally just creating their own methods. If somehow, they had stolen our techniques, under a situation where there's not enough resources means that their products would have uneven quality and wouldn't last long." Sahil continued. "Sometimes those unofficial Shell Wielding equipments may even kill the user, so the S.D.A has always turned a blind eye on the subject."

"You're saying that we're letting those people build their own Shelling Bubbles and shells?"

"Technically, that's the local law enforcement's business, since black markets or under-the-counter trading were never in S.D.A's control range."

"You're not talking about those people though, are you?"

Sahil shook his head.

"This is all the information we have so far. We had always thought that the report ten years ago was one of those too, until we dug deeper and realized that it wasn't a complaint about illegal Shell Wielders. Someone witnessed people commanding shells without using the Shelling Bubble." He watched Jensen as he said those words. "Later on we received more and more similar cases. The content's pretty much the same."

"What? So-" Jensen was dumbfounded. "So you already knew?"

"We couldn't verify anything." Sahil fixed his statement. "We have only a low number of cases and not enough clues. It was hard to track down. Up until now this is still only a hypothesis, that there's some people who can control shells out of nowhere.

"Ten years ago, that means..." Jensen's eyes grew even wider. "You’ve known about those people before my experiment? The Wasteland Shepherds?"

"You know I wasn't involved in that experiment, Jensen, but I'm afraid you're right. I heard that's why they started clinical trials."

"What did you say?" Jensen's eyes doubled in size again. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

" 'Cause I never believed it!" Sahil rebuked. "I don't care if they actually exist, or what they're fucking called!" He said as if his words were plausible. "I care about the reality that's in front of our eyes, not some stupid made-up hearsays."

"They exist," Jensen said, specifying every syllable. His tone was a lot more aggressive. "I saw them, right in front of my eyes. I saw him..."

"Argh!" He shouted in annoyance, at the same time dropping his hands which had been raised during the argument.

"You don't understand, commander." Jensen said, distressed. "All these years, I thought I was the only person who had successfully gotten a transplant of Star Creature's cell, that I was the pioneer of clinical trials."

"You are." Sahil nodded solemnly.

"No, I'm not," the man laying on bed retorted. "I'm a failed subject. The scavengers that called themselves the Shepherds, they are the ones that truly possess the power of Star Creatures." He finished his words, though the truth was unbearable for him.

"You're wrong, Jensen." Sahil's tone was flat. "Those scavenger's aren't the S.D.A's men. No matter what you saw, that's a fact that'll never change." He placed a hand on the bed and leaned closer to Jensen. "You, Jensen Cavil, is our man. You're the warrior that's standing at the frontline fighting off invaders."

"I don't even know who I am anymore, commander."

"Nonsense!" Sahil lifted his head and stared right into Jensen's eyes. "Of course you do." His tone showed that he was believing firmly without a doubt. "Look at you. Look at your clothes and where you are now. Of course you're one of us, Jensen."

"You're Jensen Cavil of the S.D.A." Sahil emphasized once again then stood up. "I must go now. There's still a lot of stuff I have to deal with back at the base," he said. "Substantially, I'm not going to punish you for what happened this time. However, I'm afraid you're going to have to be on standby for some time. I'll let Dr. Valentine do a full body check-up for you after you're back, and we'll then see about your reinstatement."

The commander turned around in silence after finishing his sentence. Before he left, he turned back to take one last look at Jensen. "For the sake of the stars, Jensen. Do not lose your faith." He said, then left in big strides.

Maybe it's too late, commander.

Jensen looked at Sahil's disappearing back, but he couldn't say those words out loud.

I may have lost them already.

He closed his eyes, then laid back on the bed.